Part I Reading Comprehension (30%) Passage 1 Questions 1 to 5 are based on the following passage: A youngster s social development has a profound effect on his academic progress Kids who have trouble getting along with their classmates can end up behind academically as well and have a higher chance of 0dropping out(退学). In the early grades especially, experts say, youngsters should be encouraged to work in groups rather than individually so that teachers can spot children who may be having problems making friends "When children work on a project", says Lillian Kate, an educational professor at the University &.Illinois, "they learn to work together, to disagree, to think, to take turns and lighten tensions These skills can t be learned through lecture We all know people who have wonderful technical skills but don t have any social skills Relationships should be the first R". At a certain age, children are also learning to judge themselves in relation to others. For most children, school marks the first time that their goals are not set by an internal clock but by the outside world Just as the 1-year-old struggling to walk the 6-year-old is struggling to meet adult expectations "Young kids don t know how to distinguish early-childhood education for the state of New Jersey, "(76) if they try hard to do something and fail. they may conclude that they will never be able to accomplish a particular task". "The effects of serious", says Hills, "a child who has had his confidence really damaged needs a rescue operation". 1. The author seems to think that a kid’s poor relationship with his classmates would . A. have negative effects on his study B. develop his individualism but limit his intelligence C. eventually lead to his leaving school D. have nothing to do with his achievements in a course 2. In the first paragraph, the word spot means . A. teach B. help C. find D. treat 3. For most children, school makes them understand . A. that it is society rather than individual that decides one’s future B. that they can meet the social needs C. that one’s effort and one’s ability can be two quite different matters D. that social needs and individual needs have nothing in common 4. Which of the following is most unlikely for the author to do? A. To talk to the students who have mental problems. B. To help students develop a feeling of self-respect. C. To keep a student from playing alone. D. To announce a student’s scores in public. 5. Which of the following is the major concern of the passage about a student’s needs? A. Individualism and cooperation. B. Academic success and independent thinking. C. Socialization and feeling of competence. D. Intelligence and respect.
Passage 2 Questions 6 to 10 are based on the following passage: If the Europeans thought a drought-a long period of dry weather-was something that happened only in Africa, they know better now. After four years of below ? normal rainfall (in some cases only 10 percent of annual average), vast areas of France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Britain and Ireland are dry and barren（贫瘠）.(77) Water is so low in the canals of northern France that waterway traffic is forbidden except on weekends. Oyster（牡蛎）grows in Brittany report a 30 percent 0drop in production because of the loss of fresh water in local rivers necessary for oyster breeding. In southeastern England, the rolling green hills of Kent have turned so brown that officials have been weighing plans to pipe in water from Wales. In Portugal, farmers in the southern Alentejo region have held prayer meeting for rain?so far, in vain. (78) Governments in drought-spread countries are taking severe measures. Authorities in hard-hit areas of France have banned washing cars and watering lawns. In Britain, water will soon be metered, like gas and electricity, “The English have always taken water for granted,” says Graham Warren, a spokesman of Britain’s National Rivers Authority. “Now they’re putting a price on it.” Even a sudden end to the drought would not end the misery in some areas. It will take several years of unusually heavy winter rain, the experts say, just to bring existing water reserves up to their normal levels. 6. What does the author mean by saying “they know better now?” A. They know more about the causes of the drought. B. They have a better understanding of the drought in Africa. C. They have realized that the drought in Europe is the most serious one. D. They have realized that droughts hit not only Africa but also Europe. 7. The drought in Europe has brought about all the following problems except . A. below-normal rainfall B. difficult navigation C. a sharp 0drop in oyster harvest D. bone-dry hills 8. The British government intends to . A. forbid the car-washing service B. increase the price of the water used C. end the misery caused by the drought D. charge fees for the use of the water 9. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. Germany is the only country free from the drought B. Water reserves are at their lowest level in years due to drought C. The drought is more serious in Britain than in France D. Europe will not have heavy rain until several years later. 10. Which of the following is the most appropriate title for the passage? A. Europe in Misery B. Drought Attacks Europe C. Be Economical With Water D. Europe, a Would-be Africa